The Peter & Peter (Bosma and de Coene) have done a great job in organizing 4 Cooper tests in 2006 and gathering the results in a very convenient way on the AJC website . The results are easy to search and you can have a direct access to any of your performances (in particular the November results ), to your PB or to a ranking of the overall PB of the year.
Winter race agenda: a few ideas:
If you feel like competing even in the winter time or if you need some kind of social event to motivate you out in those dark-windy-wet-cold days, here are a few suggestions:
- Fortis Derde Kerstdagloop Arnhem , 27-12-2006, 14 km: "family-spirit" beautiful rack in the forest, might be covered by snow.
- THE midwinter marathon , Apeldoorn, 28-01-2007, 8 km, 18.6 km, 27.6, marathon: one of the race you have to run once in your life, just to experience running on the snow with a nice mad friendly crowd!
- Course du soleil Nice-Monaco , 04-02-2007, half-marathon: fancy a sunny race on the French Riviera ? That is the one to run this winter. With Transavia, you can still get quite cheap flights.
Firenze marathon 2006: Forza ( by Cécile Vanier )
The decision
I can still remember when my friend Danielle asked me to join her to run the Firenze marathon end of November : "It's a wonderful city, and if you take it easy for the marathon, you'll spend a great romantic WE there". She was utterly convincing. But the schedule was tight, I had to think it over.
It was already August, I had been injured more or less the whole spring and summer, and I just visited my doctor who had diagnosed an ilio-tibial syndrome. Not the best starting conditions ever. Yet, it was too tempting. I signed in!
The preparation
Actually I thought it could help me to have a nice goal to get out of the injury trap. I elaborated a 12 weeks training to was compatible with my moderate fitness. It was impossible to catch up and do everything a thorough marathon preparation should comprise, I thus made choices:
- My hamstring would not resist speed-work : I forgot about them.
- My global fitness would not sustain long runs : literally, I did none (my longest run was 17 km).
Here was the plan:
1 - improve fitness level over a period of 7 weeks
2 - check it with a test race (half-marathon)
3 - extrapolate the marathon pace from the result of the test race and work specifically on that tempo.
I ran the half-marathon in 1:43 (4'52 / km) and then speculated that I could run the marathon at a 5'15 / km (3:40 - 3:45). During the last 5 weeks I ran 2 to 3 times a week 8 km at this targeted pace as part of a 16 km session. The rest of the training (completing an average total km / week of 60 - 65: Not a lot, you would agree !) was reserved for recovery and basic endurance.
The mantra
I realized that the only way not to get injured was do stay dynamic and relaxed in ANY circumstances. Even when I was dammed tired, even when I still hadn't recovered from my previous run, even when the wind was strongly blowing on my face, or worse, on my side, I should not let it go. I should stay focus and dynamic. I understood that if my legs were able to play their spring role, my back would not suffer. Yet, when your legs don't want anymore, you have to find something else. I know this will sound ridiculous to those able to run so much faster so much easier. But this was how I found my way out of injury. To prevent from slumping and collapsing, I used to repeat those little words "souplesse, tonicité, vitesse, souplesse, tonicité, vitesse..." And it worked. Those words reminded me that it was not a matter of strength and power, but just a matter of staying alert and relaxed.
I then rapidly noticed that I was naturally running at a pace that was much closer to 5'00 / km than 5'15 but I did not want to change my goal during the preparation: too much of a risk.
The marathon
Then came the D-day. Surprisingly enough, I felt quite confident. I had paid attention to my nutrition the days before, I had carefully tapered the last 2 weeks, and basically, I was just happy to be there ^_^ I had met some friends, the weather was ideal, the city simply beautiful, waiting for us.
The race started with a downhill, which is actually quite confusing to settle your targeted pace. Yes, I ran faster than I had planned, not too fast yet. As from km 5 and up to km 35, everything passed by very quickly. I enjoyed the nice weather, the scenery, the public. I had a though for the winner while, little I, only passed km mark 26 -_^ I spotted some friends in the crowd. I was so much enjoying it! After all what I had been through, I thought it was almost a miracle I could do what I was doing. I ran every single km as a metronome in 4'55 - 5'00. I spent a few more seconds at the drinking stations, thus hitting every 5k mark in a very nice round 25'.
At km mark 35, things changed however. My legs started to feel stiff and painful. But It was the easy part anyway, we were back in the centre of the city, there were only 7 more km. I knew it was almost over, I knew what I had to do. I had played that so many times in my head during my training. I recalled those 8 km sessions at marathon pace. I recalled my magic words "souplesse, tonicité, vitesse, souplesse, tonicité, vitesse...". And luckily enough, one more time, it worked. I kept going, hardly believing what I was doing. And now, there was nothing to stop me, unless...my calves would cramp =_= Stronger than ever, I recalled the magic word "souplesse". Do not overdo, to do push, stay supple. Surprisingly, I hardly slowed down. I was now running in 5'00 - 5'05. And, yes, nobody says you have to run when you drink at the drink stations, so I started to take the time to walk -_ ^ All in all I finished the race at a 5'10 / km, not so bad.
When arriving at Piazza Santa Croze, it was such a relief, I almost cried. I checked my watch: 3:30:59! I could not believe it!
The teaching
I had trained much harder for my first marathon in Rome earlier this year and I had started my training in excellent shape. But I only ran it 2' faster than in Florence, and I am much happier about my performance in Florence.
I think I discovered a few things about how I should train and how to control the race. What I am really proud of, is to have been able to make choices, to be honest with me when setting up the training and the goals. I learned I don't have to push it too hard. It is more important to me to stay relaxed and dynamic. When your train regularly, as a matter of facts, fitness improves. It is not necessary to rush things.
Another good achievement is the control of the race. I made good decision in terms of nutrition (eating just a little the day before was a wise decision), I managed to drink just enough during the race. By starting at a reasonable pace, I could maintain it till the end, which was certainly not the case in Rome.
I'll probably need many more marathons to begin to understand how to train for it and how to run it. But I already learned how to enjoy it: more important isn't it?
PS : for an even longer story, you can visit my blog .
The race started with a downhill, which is actually quite confusing to settle your targeted pace. Yes, I ran faster than I had planned, not too fast yet. As from km 5 and up to km 35, everything passed by very quickly. I enjoyed the nice weather, the scenery, the public. I had a though for the winner while, little I, only passed km mark 26 -_^ I spotted some friends in the crowd. I was so much enjoying it! After all what I had been through, I thought it was almost a miracle I could do what I was doing. I ran every single km as a metronome in 4'55 - 5'00. I spent a few more seconds at the drinking stations, thus hitting every 5k mark in a very nice round 25'. 